This invention relates in general to an electronic switch, and deals more particularly with a brake pedal sensor and electronic switch that operates to accurately detect the presence of a brake pedal in a motorized vehicle without the need for mechanical contacts, and which is capable of performing high current and low signal switching of auxiliary components.
In many diverse fields reliable switches are integral to the operation of the apparatus or device in which they are utilized. These switches are typically overlooked by most causal observers, but one so skilled in the art will recognize that these devices perform operations which are absolutely vital to the applications in which they are employed. Common to each of these many applications is the need to incorporate switches having high reliability and repeatability, qualities which are of no small consequence given the repeated use of these actuators which may number in the millions of cycles during the lifetime of the switches.
One such example of an electronic switch is as an incorporated element of an electronic circuit. In such applications where physical, non-electronic communication is utilized as the impetus for altering the data state of the switch, mechanical contacts are employed to detect and transmit such communication. As will be appreciated, the repeated contact between these elements in conjunction with environmental effects and manufacturing concerns results in wear and corruption of the contacting portions of the switch.
In particular, many motorized vehicles typically utilize brake pedals for initiating a braking action of the vehicle while simultaneously illuminating the brake lights. In such configurations, the movement of the brake pedal is determined by known mechanical contacts, which suffer from the debilitating effects of wear and corrosion, as discussed previously. As will be appreciated in applications involving motorized vehicles, degradation of these mechanical switching elements can be potentially life threatening, therefore increasing the need for a more reliable and repeatable switching apparatus.
In addition to mechanical wear, existing brake pedal configurations present other safety concerns, namely, the actuation of the braking system of a motorized vehicle during those times when the engine of the vehicle is not operating. Many large-scale vehicles, such as construction vehicles, utilize pneumatic or hydraulic braking systems, which must be pressurized during engine operation in order to function. Known brake pedal configurations, therefore, suffer from an inability to adequately respond to a braking command when the engine is not running.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to construct an electronic switch, which does not require mechanical contacts to generate a plurality of data states.
It is another object of the present invention to utilize a magnetic field of a permanent magnet in the performance of a switching operation.
It is another object of the present invention to construct a brake pedal sensor, which is largely impervious to the debilitating effects of structural wear and adverse environmental conditions.
It is another object of the present invention to increase the reliability and repeatability of a brake pedal sensor.
It is another object of the present invention to integrate a brake pedal sensor in the circuitry of a motorized vehicle to enable the switching of high current auxiliary devices.
It is another object of the present invention to integrate a brake pedal sensor in the circuitry of a motorized vehicle so as to enable operation of a pneumatic or hydraulic braking system even during those times that the engine is not running.
With the forgoing problems and concerns in mind, the present invention therefore seeks to eliminate the need for mechanical contact between elements of a brake pedal sensor, as well as enabling operation of a pneumatic or hydraulic braking system even when an engine of the motorized vehicle is not running.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a Hall effect transistor and permanent magnet assembly is utilized to detect the position of a ferromagnetic portion of a brake pedal mechanism in a motorized vehicle. When movement of the brake pedal mechanism is so detected, the brake lights of the vehicle are then activated without the need for mechanical contacts between electrical switching elements. The present invention therefore avoids the wear and environmental corruption, which typically affects these mechanical systems. By utilizing a permanent magnetic in fixed relation to the Hall effect transistor, the present invention substantially eliminates spontaneous activation of the braking system of the vehicle due to unintended fluctuations in the magnetic field incident upon the Hall effect transistor. Moreover, the use of MOSFET technology in conjunction with the Hall effect transistor advantageously allows for the switching of high current electrical components. The present invention also provides an additional measure of safety for those vehicles utilizing pressurized hydraulic or pneumatic braking systems by ensuring that these systems become operative even when the engine of the vehicle is off.
These and other objectives of the present invention, and preferred embodiments thereof, shall become clear by consideration of the specification, claims and drawings taken as a whole.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic switch, depicting a brake pedal position circuit for a motorized vehicle, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sensor housing for the brake pedal position circuit depicted in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the brake pedal position sensor housing in operative relationship with a brake pedal of a motorized vehicle.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the interior of the brake pedal position sensor housing.